Parallel 49 Brewing: From East Van With Love

Comments 118 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Vancouver’s Parallel 49 Brewing has just released their latest craft beer, in collaboration with Portland’s Gigantic Brewing Company, called From East Van With Love. Paying tribute to their community in the title, this seasonal brew is a bourbon-aged imperial maple stout that offers a rich and dark combination of flavors including chocolate, roasted barley, and Canadian Maple Syrup.

parallel49-fromeastvanwithlove

“If you’re looking to try a craft beer with big and bold flavors, our Bourbon Aged Imperial Maple Stout is the beer to try. This collaboration with Portland’s Gigantic Brewing Company is something we’re very excited about.” – Michael Tod. [Source: Press Release]

Founded by self-proclaimed “beer geeks”, Parallel 49 is located in the heart of East Vancouver, just off Victoria Drive, and they would like to open their doors to one lucky Miss604 reader. The brewery has offered up a tour for two as well as two (650ml) bottles of From East Van With Love Bourbon Aged Imperial Maple Stout.

Here’s how you can enter to win this prize for the craft beer lover in your life:

RT to enter to win a @Parallel49Beer brewery tour & beer from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/jtGve

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm next Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Follow Parallel 49 on Facebook and Twitter for more information about their brewery and their seasonal beer. Must be legal drinking age to enter, win, and claim the prize. Please enjoy responsibly.

Update The winner is @oliverbikes!

Archives Photos of the Day: Carnegie Library

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The cornerstone was laid for the Carnegie Library on March 29, 1902 and it was then completed in 1903. In its 110 years, the memorable structure on Main and Hastings has been a library, a museum, and a community centre and it’s this week’s Archive Photos of the Day feature:


March 29, 1902. Laying the cornerstone. VPL Number: 3422. Photographer: W.M. Bruce.

On March 25th, 1901 Vancouver requested and was granted $50,000 from US steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to build a library. Carnegie agreed to give the funds only if the city furnished a site and agreed to spend $5,000 a year. The city council accepted the Carnegie gift and its conditions. [VancouverHistory.ca]


1902 – Archives item# CVA 1376-27.


Left: 1908 – VPL Number: 3425. Right: 1910 – VPL Number 3467. Photographer: Philip Timms.


1900s – Archives item# CVA 371-812.


Left: 1904 – VPL Number: 3424. Right: 1920 – VPL Number: 10439.
Photographers: Philip Timms & Leonard Frank.


Left: 1932 – VPL Number: 3442. Right: 1932 – VPL Number 3444. Photographer: Philip Timms.


Left: 1932 – VPL Number: 3459. Right: 1932 – VPL Number: 3448. Photographer: Philip Timms.

Vancouver International Auto Show: Ford Canada CEO Dianne Craig

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Disclosure: Unpaid, Personal Opinion — I did not received compensation in any form to feature Ford in this post. GM and Toyota have also reached out to me during the show. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

The Vancouver International Auto Show is underway at the Vancouver Convention Centre (West) until Sunday, March 31, 2013 featuring the latest and greatest vehicles from the auto industry. I caught up with Ford Canada’s CEO Dianne Craig yesterday just as Ford’s “Ambassador of Innovation”, Hank the Robot, welcomed some of their dealers (there are 433 in total across Canada) and special guests to the auto show.

Ford Canada at the Vancouver International Auto Show
Dianne Craig, Ford Canada CEO

After a quick trip up the Sea to Sky with her sister, Dianne Craig said Vancouver is a slice of heaven on Earth, and she’s excited to be at the show this week to showcase her company’s offerings. “Obviously I’m biased, but we have the best product line — in my going on 28 years with Ford — we’ve ever had. It’s just an incredible lineup.”

As more people search for a smartphone connector before even looking under the hood of a vehicle, I wanted to specifically ask Dianne about the technology that is featured in Ford vehicles. Things like SYNC information and entertainment system, the Handsfree Liftgate, Parking Assist, and MyKey (a key with pre-programmed safety settings for young drivers). These are now affordable luxuries that tech-loving car owners have previously only dreamed about.

“Obviously we have voice-activated-take-your-pick. Whether it’s call my friend, pick my favourite restaurants, find wherever I need to go. But you know that’s the technology we have today but what is the future? What does that look like? Because the world has changed. People are able to listen to USA Today in their car. We have that app today and a number of other applications just to make people’s lives easier.” Ford has reached out to app developers to help bridge the gap between today’s technology and what the next generation of apps and processes will look like.

“The best thing that we have got to try to do is anticipate what customers will want 5 years from now. So, we do a lot of focus groups, a lot of listening to customers, a lot of competitive intelligence and then hopefully we stay ahead of the curve — and we’ve been pretty successful so far.”

“One thing you can bank on in the car industry is that it’s always changing and you always have to innovate. And one of the things we’re most proud of, even in the depths of recession, is that we never stopped investing in the product.” Dianne said that it’s important to hone in on product design and technologies but also not get too far ahead because at some point these technologies cost money — and that’s the balancing act.

Ford Canada at the Vancouver International Auto Show Ford Canada at the Vancouver International Auto Show Ford Canada at the Vancouver International Auto Show

While Ford has some Super Cars on the show floor, like the Shelby Mustang, Dianne said that the focus in Vancouver is definitely on eco-friendly driving.

“This is a very different market. If there’s anything I’ve learned about Canada — across Canada — is that there are very different markets but this market in particular is very green.”

At the auto show this week you can check out Ford’s electric and hybrid vehicles, and get behind the wheel of a hands-on driving simulator for a timed driving course and experience EcoBoost fuel economy with the power of a V8 in a V6.

“I’m just excited to showcase our products and encourage the folks here in Vancouver to come experience the show and hopefully take a test drive.”

Vancouver International Auto Show

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 to Thursday, March 28, 2013 from 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Friday, March 29, 2013 to Saturday, March 30, 2013 from 10:00am to 10:00pm
Sunday, March 31, 2013 from 10:00am to 6:00pm

General Admission $15; Seniors (65+) $10; Students (valid ID required) $10; Children 7-12 (when accompanied by an adult) $4. Family Passes for 2 adults and 2 children 12 and under are $30, and Multi-Day Passes (good for any 2 days) are $25. Taxes and/or fees, may apply to these prices. Tickets are available online or at the door.

Canstruction Vancouver 2013

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Canstruction Vancouver is on now in two locations in downtown Vancouver featuring 22 sculptures made entirely of canned food. Teams of designers, engineers, architects, students and businesses have put together these creations made of thousands of cans, packages, pouches, and bags that contain food that will be donated to the Vancouver Food Bank when the exhibit is complete.

CANstruction 2013

Canstruction Vancouver 2013 Canstruction Vancouver 2013

Canstruction Vancouver 2013

Canstruction runs until April 3, 2013 from 10:00am to 5:00pm (excluding Easter Weekend) at the Pacific Center Rotunda, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and the Pendulum Art Gallery (inside the HSBC building on Hornby and West Georgia). It’s free to explore the exhibition and kids will love the colourful displays depicting familiar characters and landmarks (like BC Place). You can also make cash donations on-site for the Vancouver Food Bank.

Stanley Park Easter Train 2013

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The Stanley Park Easter Train has rolled into town over Spring Break and it’s only here through the weekend. Until April 1, 2013 the family can enjoy the wonders of Stanley Park’s natural beauty and stop in for a train ride (with an Easter theme) around the miniature railroad.

Train
Photo credit: Pat Z on Flickr

Rain or shine, the Stanley Park Easter Train runs 10:00am to 5:00pm daily. The surrounding plaza area will have egg hunts (bring your own basket), crafts, and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Tickets for all activities, including the train, are $8.75 for children. Adults are free to supervise activities and their tickets are $3.50 to ride the train.

Tickets for this event can be purchased in advance by calling the Miniature Railway Admin Office at (604) 257-8530. Once the Easter Bunny and his crew move out for the season the area will once again be transformed into Klahowya Village featuring the Spirit Catcher Train for the summer.